‘Mudenge died a happy man’
Sunday, 07 October 2012 00:18
Tinashe Farawo
Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Dr Stan Mudenge was in jovial mood on the day he collapsed and died in Masvingo, his long-time subordinate has disclosed.
Dr Washington Mbizvo, the permanent secretary in Dr Mudenge’s ministry, last night revealed that he had never seen the leading historian as excited as he was on the day he died.
“It seems like he was indirectly saying farewell,” he said.
“He was a happy man; he was in jovial mood; he was excited; although he was always like that, what was happening in Masvingo was something else; he was saying goodbye, I have fought my good fight,” he said.
Before travelling to Masvingo where he was due to address the 39th Southern African Society for Education Conference, Dr Mudenge was in Bulawayo for the commissioning of St Patrick’s Hotel.
And Dr Mbizvo says the late Minister Mudenge was in high spirits in Bulawayo as well.
“We had a good time in Bulawayo, the students and everyone who was there. I am convinced he died a happy man. He had resolved the Great Zimbabwe University issue, with the new team he set up expected to start work on Monday (tomorrow).
“I had known Cde Mudenge for years and worked as his permanent secretary for eight years, but I can tell you that what was happening in Bulawayo and Masvingo was out of this world,” he said.
Dr Mbizvo described Dr Mudenge, who he always referred to as VaZimuto, as a “living god” of African history who was passionate about the welfare of students.
“He was so passionate about the students, especially those who are underprivileged, and, as a result, programmes like cadetship were put in place.
“He would always say, ‘saka munoti varombo havachafundi’ (so you say the poor should not get educated?). He was an intellectual par excellence and indeed one of the few remaining living gods of African history,” he said.
“He was a visionary and a strategic thinker who looked at issues in a global way. Education was the way to his heart; very soon every province will have a state university, that’s why he had recently acquired a 25-hectare piece of land to build a school in his rural home.
“He would always say to me that the school is ‘my gift to the people’.”
Dr Mbizvo hailed Cde Mudenge as a cistern of wisdom and a source of inspiration to many.
“The man had exceptional talent; he was a moving encyclopaedia of African history. The man would inspire people and was highly appreciative, always generous with comments and I can tell you that very few politicians are like that,” he said.
A long-serving civil servant, Dr Mbizvo hailed Cde Mudenge as one of the few ministers who appreciated the role of permanent secretaries.
“Maybe it’s because that he was one of the first black secretaries in 1980. He knew his stuff, some ministers want to be heads of ministries, he was not like that, he respected division of labour,” he said. Dr
Mudenge is survived by wife Mildred and three children — Thando, Pedzisai and Rumbidzai.
At the time of his death, he was the Member of Parliament for Masvingo North and Zanu-PF secretary for external relations.
Labels: OBITUARIES, STAN MUDENGE
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Mudenge burial held, Mugabe calls for peace
Heroe's burial ... Mudenge's casket arrives at the Heroes Acre on Monday
08/10/2012 00:00:00
by Paradzai Brian Paradza
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe says he wants Zimbabweans to be tolerant of each other's views to allow for a free vote in general elections proposed for next March.
Mugabe, officiating Monday at the state burial of Higher Education Minister Stan Mudenge, said political differences must be private and "not expressed in actions" that lead to violence.
He called on Zimbabweans to follow the "virtues and discipline" of academic and veteran diplomat Stan Mudenge, who died October 4 of heart failure at age 71.
Mugabe, speaking in a mixture of English and Shona, told thousands of mourners gathered at the National Heroes’ Acre: "Let the people vote for whoever they want to vote. Nyangwe akada kurasa vote yake muroad, ndezvake (If someone elects to dump their vote in the road, let them).
“We must recognise that everyone is entitled to make their own political choices. We might disagree, but you don’t need to express it in action, if you do that you will be starting violence.
“VeMDC vanofanira kuziva kuti ndiri Zanu PF izere, ivowo vanoda kuti ini ndizivewo kuti maMDC azerewo. It has to be two way [MDC supporters must know that I’m Zanu PF through and through, and they also want me to know that their beliefs are unshakeable. It has to be two way].”
President Mugabe described the late Mudenge as an astute diplomat and educationist who worked tirelessly in building the country's foreign relations and the education sector.
"This is a sad loss to us all. He remained a humble servant, friend, colleague, father and husband despite his education. He died on duty. He died in a typical style,” Mugabe said.
“He championed the idea of having state universities in every province as well as students’ welfare through both the grant and cadetship schemes. On the foreign affairs side, he ensured the country was a member of the UN,” Mugabe said at the burial attended by senior MDC-T officials including Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khuphe and party spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora.
Mugabe said while Mudenge’s health problems were no longer a secret, his death came as a shock as he appeared to be on the road to recovery.
Mudenge was hospitalised for several weeks in March after being attacked by a bull on his farm in Masvingo. Since the incident, Mudenge never fully recovered and he subsequently missed dozens of cabinet meetings, Mugabe said.
Sombre mood ... DPM Mutambara, VP Mujuru and President Mugabe at Heroes Acre
Reactions to Mudenge’s death and Mugabe’s graveside eulogy were mixed.
Pride Mukono, president of the Zimbabwe National Students’ Union, said Mudenge had presided over the collapse of institutions of higher learning resulting in a lowering of standards and thousands of student either failing to attend classes or having their degrees withheld over the non-payment of fees.
“While it is unAfrican to celebrate the death of an individual, we as students feel the Minister failed to run the ministry and was in most cases operating from a hospital bed. All the institutions of higher learning are suffering as a result of neglect and poor policies by the Minister during his tenure of office,” he said.
But Mugabe insisted that “although Mudenge was weak, he still performed his programmes”.
MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora, like his leader Morgan Tsvangirai, questioned the sincerity of Mugabe’s peace calls.
"As usual, he denounces violence but that has always fallen on deaf eyes. The president must go further, there must be a clear message that those who commit acts of violence will be arrested,” Mwonzora said, speaking moments after Mugabe finished his speech.
“That message is lacking and until the leadership drives home that point, his calls will be mere rhetoric. We want the police to arrest perpetrators of violence regardless of political affiliation.”
Over the weekend, Tsvangirai accused Mugabe of "preaching peace by day" while his loyalists attacked opponents at night.
Three-times married Mudenge is survived by his wife, Mildred, three children and two grandchildren. His first wife, Kgogo, died in 2001 and his second wife, Eunice, followed in 2004.
Labels: FUNERALS, STAN MUDENGE
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Mugabe has Ndebele roots: Mudenge
by Lunga Sibanda
20/11/2010 00:00:00
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has Ndebele ancestry as his grandfather served King Lobengula, historian and Higher Education Minister Stan Mudenge claims.
Speaking at the Lupane State University’s inaugural graduation ceremony on Thursday, Minister Mudenge said the President had fascinating roots in Matabeleland that are not always known to the general public.
“His grandfather, a strong powerful figure, was in the service of King Lobengula in the 19th Century, during which he acquired and absorbed the Ndebele culture and language,” said Mudenge.
He said when the President’s grandfather returned to Zvimba, Mashonaland West, the colonial native commissioners -- noting his Ndebele cultural traits -- began calling him “Matibili,” the colonialists’ pronunciation of Matebele.
“In time, Matibili was Shonalised to ‘Matibiri’ because Shonas substitute ‘l’ with ‘r’,” he said.
Tracing the President’s lineage, Mudenge said the President’s father was the son of Constantine Karigamombe, alias “Matibiri.”
“Therefore, the President belongs the Matibiri Karigamombe house in Zvimba,” Dr Mudenge said.
He said President Mugabe’s father, Gabriel Mugabe Matibiri, went to work in Bulawayo, where he married his second wife, a Ndebele girl, mother to some of the President’s siblings, who had both Shona and Ndebele blood.
“As a young teacher, the President taught at Empandeni Mission and Hope Fountain Mission. It is at the latter institution that he taught, among others, Governor Angeline Masuku and Mrs Thenjiwe Lesabe, then the head girl,” he said.
Mugabe is reviled in Matabeleland where rights groups say 20,000 people were killed on his orders after Zimbabwe’s independence from colonial rule in 1980.
Labels: NDEBELE, ROBERT MUGABE, STAN MUDENGE
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Govt sets up council for higher education
Our reporter
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:55:00 +0000
THE inclusive Government of Zimbabwe has set up a Council for Higher Education, which will be responsible for registration and accreditation of universities.
Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Dr Stan Mudenge announced the appointment of the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education in Harare on Wednesday.
The council will wield governance and executive authority over quality assurance in university education in the country, among other responsibilities.
Current Zesa Holdings chairman Professor Christopher Chetsanga — who also sits on the boards of a number of organisations and companies — will chair the council.
He will be deputised by former Cabinet minister Professor Simbi Mubako, who teaches law at the Midlands State University.
Minister Mudenge said the council was established by an Act of Parliament with a mandate to sustain and guarantee quality assurance in university education by accrediting, monitoring and advancing quality at all universities in Zimbabwe.
"Higher education in this country is now governed by an enabling legislation and regulatory framework, which will ensure quality and the alignment of the quality assurance systems to those existing in the region and on the African continent.
"The legislation has resulted in the transformation of the National Council for Higher Education into a proper quality control system with a set of standards, manuals and advisory standing committees for accreditation and consistent audit of programmes and well-researched guidance material," he said.
Minister Mudenge said the council should not only concern itself with issues of registration and accreditation of universities but should go a step further in ensuring that critical institutional standards of any university in Zimbabwe are fully understood, established and maintained to the satisfaction of the nation.
Labels: CHRISTOPHER CHETSANGA, STAN MUDENGE, UNIVERSITIES, ZIMBABWE
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